RHINEBECK, NY –This year marks the 10th anniversary of Omega Service Week, a program that supports nonprofit organizations and foundations committed to improving the well-being of others and the planet. Omega today announced 33 nonprofit organizations will be awarded two-day, two-night organizational retreats on Omega’s 200-acre campus, including free room and board, a private meeting space, use of facilities, and a consultation with Omega’s partner, the New York Council of Nonprofits (NYCON).

“The challenges that nonprofits face nowadays are numerous and complex. Omega’s Service Week offers a unique opportunity in a safe, nurturing environment for organizations to step back, breathe, and take the opportunity with one of our expert staff to get the check-up they may have been postponing,” said Doug Sauer, chief executive officer of New York Council of Nonprofits.

Omega’s annual Service Week is comprised of two sessions. During the first session (May 26-28), Omega welcomes organizations from the Mid-Hudson Valley, Connecticut, and New York City, working in health care, the arts, sustainability, and human services. The second session (May 28-30), the Women Serving Women Summit, is presented by the Omega Women’s Leadership Center. The only nonprofit leadership retreat of its kind, the 2014 summit will bring together nonprofits working to improve the lives of women and girls in eight different states and will include a series of roundtable discussions, a collaborative art experience, and more. The participation of Mid-Hudson Valley nonprofits in Service Week is funded in part by a significant grant from the Dyson Foundation.

“Omega started Service Week 10 years ago as a way to help support our nonprofit peers and to strengthen the safety-net that so many people in our extended community depend upon. We are thrilled with the success of the program, which has directly touched more than 300 nonprofits and 4,000 dedicated people over the years and has an aggregate ripple effect in the millions,” said Carla Goldstein, chief external affairs officer at Omega.

Omega is pleased to award 2014 Service Week retreats to the following organizations, which are actively engaged in creating a more compassionate and sustainable world:

Session 1 Recipients:

Mid-Hudson Valley Organizations:

Astor Services for Children & FamiliesCourt Appointed Special Advocates for ChildrenHabitat for Humanity of Dutchess CountyHudson River HealthCareHudson Valley CurrentRe>Think LocalResource Center for Accessible Living, Inc.Rondout Valley Holistic Health CommunityThe Children’s Home of KingstonThe Institute for Family Health: Ulster County Healthy Families & Dutchess County Healthy Families

American Association of University Women, Poughkeepsie ChapterBreastfeeding Initiative of Ulster CountyThe Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic AbuseGirls on the Run Hudson ValleyMillion Women Drummers Gathering

Additional Organizations:

Be the Change NJCare USAThe Center for Family Justice, Inc.Girls for GLocal LeadershipGirls at Work, Inc.Girls For a ChangeGirls for Gender EquityLove HealsOphelia’s PlacePrevention is KeyThe Prison Birth ProjectSakhi for South Asian WomenSchool of Leadership, AfghanistanYWCA New York City

For more information about Omega’s annual Service Week program and how to apply, contact Marta Szabo at 845.266.4444, ext. 403, or by email at MartaS@eomega.org.

For information about the Women Serving Women Summit or Omega Women’s Leadership Center, contact Sarah Urech at 845.266.4444, ext. 412, or by email at SarahU@eomega.org.

About Omega Institute for Holistic StudiesFounded in 1977, Omega Institute for Holistic Studies is the nation’s most trusted source for wellness and personal growth. As a nonprofit organization, Omega offers diverse and innovative educational experiences that inspire an integrated approach to personal and social change. Located on 200 acres in the beautiful Hudson Valley, Omega welcomes more than 23,000 people to its workshops, conferences, and retreats in Rhinebeck, New York, and at exceptional locations around the world. eOmega.org